Ford comes close to endorsing Chow in Toronto mayoral race: ‘Read between the lines’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford went to the very edge of endorsing incumbent Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, praising her leadership at city hall in the middle of a municipal election campaign.

Speaking at an unrelated event in Toronto on Wednesday, Ford had positive words for the mayor, who stood behind him at the podium.

“The mayor and I have a phenomenal relationship, phenomenal,” he told reporters.

“We’ve given the City of Toronto more money than they’ve ever seen in their lives — over $9 billion.

“We’re going to continue supporting the mayor. She’s doing an incredible job, so read between the lines.”

Coun. Brad Bradford, who is running against Chow in October’s election, said Ford’s almost-endorsement was a sign the current mayor was easy for the province to walk over.

“Of course the premier endorsed Olivia Chow. She is the easiest negotiation he has ever had. Everything she told Torontonians she would fight and oppose, she handed over on a silver platter,” his team wrote in a lengthy statement.

The latest polling from Liaison Strategies had Chow at 50 per cent, Bradford at 39 and former federal minister Chris Alexander at 10 per cent.

Ford’s warm words on Wednesday a sharp contrast from the 2023 mayoral byelection, when Ford said Chow would be an “unmitigated disaster” as Toronto’s next mayor.

During the Daily Bread’s mayoral debate this week, Chow touted her relationship with Ford as a reason to vote for her, pointing to the amount of provincial money that has flowed to Toronto since she was elected.

The election will be held on Oct. 26.